1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aluminum-base alloy which has superior mechanical properties, such as high hardness, high strength and high ductility.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, aluminum-base alloys having high strength and high heat resistance have been manufactured by rapid-solidifying means such as a melt quenching method. For example, the aluminum-base alloy disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-275732, which is obtained by the rapid-solidifying means, is an amorphous or microcrystalline alloy, and the disclosed microcrystalline alloy is made from a composite material composed of a metal solid solution made from an aluminum matrix, a microcrystalline aluminum matrix phase and a stable or metastable intermetallic compound phase.
However, the aluminum-base alloy disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-275732 is a superior alloy which exhibits high strength, high heat resistance and high corrosion resistance, and also is a high-strength material having superior workability. However, in a high-temperature region, its superior properties specific to the rapidly-solidified material becomes low, and there remains room for improvement in heat resistance, particularly the elevated temperature strength.
In addition, since the alloy disclosed in the above-recited publication contains elements having comparatively high specific gravity, its specific strength does not become so large, and there remains room for improvement in high specific strength as well as ductility.
The alloys disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 7-238336 and 7-268528 are known as aluminum alloys containing quasi-crystal in their structures.
Either of these disclosed alloys is superior in mechanical properties and other properties. However, since additive elements, excluding an Al element which is an essential element, and an Mn element, which is a quasi-crystal forming element, have a relatively large specific gravity, there is room to further reduce the weights of the entire alloys.